Obstetrical instrument.



A. L. TOWNSEND.

OBSTETRIGAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15. 1913.

WITNESSES ATTO RN EY Patented June 3, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTUE.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN TOWNSEND, OF IOLA, KANSAS.

OBSTETRICAL INSTRUMENT.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ABRAHAM L. TowN- ND, citizen of the United States, residing at lola, in the county of Allen and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Obstetrical Instrument, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in obstetrical instruments.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of obstetrical instruments, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and efficient instrument designed for extracting a dead fetus from a pig or other animal, and capable of operating on the same in either a head or post presentation and adapted to penetrate the intestines or stomach cavity and let out the gas, thereby greatly facilitating the removal of the fetus. A further object of the invention is to provide an obstetrical instrument adapted to be introduced into an animal in a closed condition, and capable of enabling a dead fetus to be removed with a straight pull without. liability of lacerating a sow or other animal.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure 1 is an elevation of an obstetrical instrument, constructed in accordance with this invention, the hooks or gaifs being folded or closed and the spiral puncturing member or screw being extended. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal'sectional view of the same, the puncturing screw or mem her being withdrawn, and the hooks or gafi's being extended. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the instrument, showing the hooks or gaffe open or extended. Fig. t is an enlarged detail longitudinal sectional view, showing the hooks or galfs fold-- ed or closed. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 15, 1913.

Patented June 3, 1913. Serial No. 761,378.

the invention, the obstetrical instrument, which is designed to be constructed of steel or other suitable metal and to be finished in a manner to enable it to be conveniently sterilized, comprises in its construction an outer longitudinal tube 1 constituting a shield and forming a guide and housing for a relatively movable inner longitudinally disposed rod 2, carrying at its outer end a spiral puncturing member or screw 3, which is preferably in the form of an ordinarv cork screw, as illustrated in the accompany ng drawing, but any other suitable puncturmg tip or member may be employed, and the puncturing tip or screw is suitably secured at its inner end to the outer terminal of the rod 2. The spiral puncturing member or screw is adapted to extend beyond the outer tube 1 and occupies such position when the rod is at the limit of its outward movement. as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and it is carried inwardly to a position within the outer endof the tube 1 by the rod when the latter is moved to the limit of its inward movement. The puncturing tip or screw is adapted to pierce theintestines or stomach cavity of a dead fetus, as hereinafter fully explained, and the outer end of the tube 1 is provided with a cutting edge 4, formed by tapering the tube exteriorly or by any other suitable means and adapted to cut the screw or tip loose when the same is drawn into the outer end of the tube 1 in the operation of the instrument. The rod also carries a pair of foldable hooks or gaffs 5 curved longitudinallv and pivoted at their inner ends in a slot 6 in the rod 2, and extending outwardly through opposite slots 7 in the sides of the tube 1. The inner ends 8 of the hooks or gaffs 5 are recessed or reduced at opposite sides and are fitted together, the shanks and bills of the hooks being located in the same transverse plane. The shanks of the hooks have flat side faces, and the bills 9 are oppositely tapered and approximately spoon-shaped, being provided with outer rounded or convex faces and inner hollowed out or concave faces 10. This construction enables the bills of the hooks to fold compactly against the tube or shield 1 and fit snugly the opposite side thereof, so as to be entirely out of the way when introducing an instrument into an animal. The slot 6 of the rod has inner side extensions, which the drawing. The slots 7 of the tube 1 are of a length to cause their inner end walls to engage and distend the hooks or gafis when the spiral puncturing screw or tip is withdrawn into and housed by the outer end of the tube 1. The outward movement of the rod to project the spiral puncturing tip or screw carries the pivoted ends of the hooks or gafis into engagement with the outer end walls 11, which may be beveled, as shown, to insure a positive closing or folding of the hooks or gafis against the tube 1.

To facilitate the operation of the instrument, the rod 2 is provided at its inner end with a transversely disposed handle 12, and the tube 1 is provided at its inner end with a winged grip 13. The handle is provided with a central opening to receive the end 14 of the rod, which is reduced to provide a shoulder 15, threaded for the reception of a nut 16, but the handle 12 may be secured to the rod in any other desired manner. The winged grip 13 is suitably secured to the inner end of the tube and is provided at opposite sides with projections or wings, preferably extending in the same direction as the handle 12.

In the operation of the instrument, the screw is inserted into the mouth of the ofi' spring with the aid of the finger, and the operator starts screwing the instrument into the dead fetus. The tube 1 is provided with graduations 17 for indicating the distance the instrument is inserted, which should be sufficient to penetrate the intestines or stemach cavity for letting out the gas. When this is accomplished the tube 1 is held steady and the rod 2 is drawn outwardly a sufiicient distance to distend the hooks or gaffs and withdraw the screw into the tube. the sharp edges 41 of the end of the tube outting the screw loose and preventing the screw from lacerating the old animal in extracting the fetus. The gaifs engage the fetus back ot the jowls and it may be extracted with a straight pull. In the case of a post presentatiomthe instrument may be inserted in the V rec-tum.

2. An instrument of the class described including a tube provided at its outer end with a cutting edge, and a rod slidable in the tube and provided with a screw arranged to be projected beyond the cutting edge of the tube, whereby the latter will cut the screw loose when the rod is moved. inwardly.

3. An instrument of the class described including a tube provided with a slot or opening, a rod slidable in the tube, and a toldable engaging member extending through the slot or opening of the tube and pivotally connected to the rod and actuated by the latter to engage it with the end walls of the slot or opening, whereby the engaging member is positively moved to a folded position at the exterior of the tube and is carried therefrom to an extended engaging position.

1. An instrument of the class described including a tube provided with opposite slots, a rod slidable in the tube and having a slot, and a pair of hooks or gaii's extending through the slots of the tube and pivoted at their inner ends in the slot of the rod and carried into and out of engagement with the walls of the slots of the tube to told them against the latter and to extend them therefrom.

An instrument of the class described including a tube, a rod slidable in the tube. and a hook or gait actuated by the rod to fold it against the tube and to extend it therefrom, said hook or gait being provided with an outer approximately spoon-shaped head presenting when folded an inner concave face and an outer convex face.

6. An instrument of the class described including an outer tube provided with graduations and having a handle or grip at its inner end, a rod slidable in the tube and provided at its outer end with a puncturing tip arranged to be extended beyond the tube and to be withdrawn into the same, said rod being also provided at its inner end with a grip or handle, and foldable engaging means operatively connected with the tube and the rod and actuated by the relative movement of the latter to fold it against the tube and extend it therefrom.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN TOWNSEND.

Vitnesses Frances WILSON, C. C. AUsHnnimN.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

